Graduate Top Tier Infrastructure Development: Graduate Coordinator Program

September 2015

➢ Rationale

✓ Graduate coordinators need to be recognized for their departmental and campus leadership, and assessed so that
successes are rewarded, and challenges are resolved via training, mentorship, etc.

✓ Chairs need to understand their role in graduate program management, graduate student policies and procedures,
and evaluation of graduate faculty

✓ We need to address the "gaps" wherein graduate coordinators (almost all are B-contract faculty) are not on contract
during summer/winter breaks, but have significant graduate program and graduate student work during these times
of the year. Some of this off-season work should be managed by the chair; but other parts require graduate
coordinator input and/or leadership.

➢ Program Guidelines

✓ A standard minimum 1 course per year reassignment for graduate coordinators to facilitate their leadership of their
departments’ graduate programs. Depending on size of the graduate program and graduate coordinator workload,
an additional course reassignment may be merited and negotiated with Chair and Dean as part of typical workload
assessment.

✓ A standard $2,000 stipend to cover part-time graduate program coordination & student advisement during
summer/winter/spring breaks. When possible and appropriate (especially large programs, etc.), Chairs, Directors,
and/or Deans are encouraged to supplement the stipend with unit funds.

● Stipend will be transferred to a department account for appropriate faculty use. These funds may not be
used by Chair or other faculty and may accumulate and be used at the will of the graduate coordinator,
during or after her/his tenure in the coordinator role.

● Appropriate uses for these funds include faculty travel, equipment/supply/computer/book purchases,
conference registration, support for a student worker, summer support for GAs, graduate student travel, etc.,
so long as the funds are used in compliance with UNLV and State of Nevada regulations, and are
supportive of your faculty research, teaching, or professional development.

● Will be distributed in the amount of $1,000 for each fall & spring semester to active graduate coordinators
(paid once at the end of the academic year).

✓ Graduate coordinators must complete an annual program assessment. This assessment will review program level
activities such as recruitment, new student onboarding, professional development and program goals. The program
assessment will include questions about participation in university graduate activities such as the graduate council,
committees and events. The completed program assessment will be shared with the Department Chair, Academic
Dean and Graduate College Dean.

✓ A standard minimal job description for Graduate Coordinators (as approved in new GC Bylaws of 2013), and other
Graduate Coordinator policies follow. Graduate Coordinators are expected to uphold the basic responsibilities
associated with the position as described below:

Graduate College Bylaws, Article 4: Graduate Program Administration – Graduate Coordinators

The Graduate Coordinator serves a vital role in graduate education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Graduate
Coordinators are members of the Graduate Faculty who are the primary point of contact in academic units for graduate
students, and liaison between the academic unit and Graduate College.

4.1 Appointment and Term

Graduate Coordinators may be elected or appointed in one of two ways, as delineated below. Once seated, Graduate
Coordinators are subject to terms within his/her College or unit Bylaws, or if such guidelines do not exist, to the terms and
conditions described herein.

4.1.1 Selection of Graduate Coordinators

i. Department or College Bylaws: In cases where an academic unit, or the College in which a unit resides, have faculty
Bylaws delineating how Graduate Coordinators are selected, and their term of office, these rules and processes shall
apply and take precedence.

ii. Graduate College Bylaws: If an academic unit’s, or College’s, Bylaws do not specify either how Graduate
Coordinators are selected or their term of office, or provide related guidelines, then the Graduate College
guidelines as specified herein shall take effect.

a. Candidates for Graduate Coordinator shall hold Full Graduate Faculty Status.

b. Graduate Coordinators shall be tenured faculty within the unit, unless staffing circumstances within a unit or
the particular characteristics of the unit dictate otherwise. In case of the latter, the Chair/Director, Academic
Dean, and Graduate Dean must approve of the appointment.

c. Candidates for Graduate Coordinator shall be self-nominated or nominated by a faculty college,

Chair/Director, or Academic Dean.

d. Graduate Coordinators shall be elected by a majority of the academic unit’s graduate faculty in a blind
vote.

4.1.2 Terms and Conditions

If Academic College or unit Bylaws do not specify otherwise, the following guidelines shall prevail:

i. Graduate Coordinators shall serve three (3) year terms of service.

ii. Graduate Coordinators shall uphold the highest standards in execution of their service.

iii. Graduate Coordinators shall faithfully and effectively serve their graduate faculty colleagues, department, program
and graduate students, and fulfill the expectations outlined herein.

iv. Graduate Coordinators shall be recognized for their contributions and leadership, and receive appropriate
compensation for their time and service by way of workload adjustments, salary supplement if available, and
student, administrative or professional support staff assistance where appropriate and viable.

v. Graduate Coordinators shall be reviewed on their performance in this role during their annual evaluation, and
recognized for the merits of their service.

vi. Graduate Coordinators who receive an unsatisfactory evaluation, who fail to effectively fulfill the requirements of the
position, or commit an unethical act in violation of campus and community standards of research ethics, professional
ethics, and NSHE Code, or who for some other reason are deemed unfit to continue serving to the end of their term
may be removed in one of the following ways:

a. By a majority vote of the academic unit’s graduate faculty.

b. By written notice from the Chair/Director, signed by the Academic Dean, but only in the case of an
unsatisfactory review, when there has been a documented ethical breach, or a similar extreme situation that
is documented and that would prohibit the Graduate Coordinator from faithfully fulfilling his/her
responsibilities.
 c. By written notice from the Graduate Dean and Academic Dean, but only in the rare case when there has
been a documented ethical breach, or a similar extreme situation that is documented and that would prohibit
the Graduate Coordinator from faithfully fulfilling his/her responsibilities.

d. If a Graduate Coordinator’s term of service is shortened by means of 4.1.2.vi.b or 4.1.2.vi.c, s/he has the
right to appeal through proper administrative channels to her/his Chair/Director, Academic Dean, and then
to the Graduate Dean who will review the appeal and attached documents and consult with the Graduate
College Executive Committee, before rendering a final decision.

4.2 Role

Graduate coordinators are the official liaison between the department and the Graduate College on all matters related
to the oversight and management of departmental graduate programs, prospective and current students, and policies
governing graduate education.

4.3 Participation on the Graduate Council

Through their appointment to the Graduate Council, graduate coordinators also serve as members of at least one, and not
more than two, Graduate College Committees each year, and assist with the formation and implementation of key
Graduate College policies and programs. As needed, Graduate Coordinators may be invited to provide advice and
counsel to the Graduate College Dean on a variety of issues.

4.4 Responsibilities

4.4.1 Broad Ranging Responsibilities to Graduate Students, Faculty, and Programs

Though the exact responsibilities of Graduate Coordinators vary between departments and graduate programs,
Coordinators are responsible for the management and oversight of both the day-to-day operations of graduate
programs, and of graduate students, in their academic unit. This typically includes:

i. Coordinating graduate student recruitment into department programs.

ii. Oversight, coordination, or direct handling of graduate admissions, including coordination and oversight of the
evaluation of admissions applications according to Graduate College and specific program guidelines &
requirements.

iii. Manage communications between the department and graduate students, both new and continuing.

iv. Graduate student mentorship and appropriate, timely matriculation.

v. Appropriate handling and documentation of program milestones.

vi. Coordinate, review, and sign annual departmental evaluations of graduate students.

vii. Timely and accurate submission of required forms with integrity of review and signatures.

viii. Ensure departmental FERPA protections and appropriate handling of student documents, records, and information.

ix. Work with the Academic Dean, department chair and Graduate College on the appointment, assignment and
supervision of graduate assistants.

x. Oversight of student graduation requirements graduation requirements and proper procedures related to culminating
experiences.

xi. Recommend student probation and separation, when appropriate, through appropriate unit and College channels,
and then on to the Graduate College.

xii. Educate students and colleagues about Graduate College policies, and enforce the same.

xiii. Ensure the accuracy of the graduate portion of the department website, the department’s segment of the Graduate
Catalog, the unit’s handbook, and related informational materials and communications.
xiv. Timely review and appropriate handling of graduate appeals.

xv. Work with department chair and Academic Dean to establish, review, and revoke as necessary, graduate faculty
status.

xvi. Collaborate with the department Chair/Director and Academic Dean, as appropriate, to facilitate graduate student
policies, assignment of lab and/or office space, and mediation of graduate faculty and graduate student issues as
necessary.

xvii. Mandatory participation in the Graduate Council, and at least one Graduate College Committee each year.

xviii. Serve as a conduit of information between the Graduate College and the Graduate Council to the
academic unit faculty, staff, and graduate students.

xix. Collaborate with the Chair/Director and faculty colleagues to ensure rigor, quality, and maintenance of high
standards of scholarship and graduate instruction within the unit’s graduate programs, and the appropriate
development of, and modification to, curriculum and programs.

4.4.2 Responsibility to Understand, Fairly Apply, and Enforce Standards

Graduate Coordinators are required to know and follow the relevant State of Nevada and Federal laws, the NSHE
Code, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Bylaws, the Graduate College Bylaws and the Graduate College
Handbook. No policies or procedures employed in an academic unit or graduate program may supersede or
contradict standing law or policy.

4.4.3 Responsibility to Coordinate and Collaborate with the Graduate College

Graduate Coordinators shall be responsive to inquiries, emails, phone calls, and requests from the Graduate College
and its staff. Close collaboration with the Graduate College is required to ensure proper and efficient integration.